Red Tree Gallery - Monica Bennett

I love colour. It is always what first draws me to an item, whether it is clothes, flowers, cars or artwork. Texture and pattern combined with colour inspire me and get the creative ideas flowing – that’s when it’s time for me to get working in my studio. My hand felted, wearable art showcases colour, texture and pattern in a pleasing balance of form and function.

My wraps look delicate but really are very wearable. Made mostly from Merino and Corriedale wools felted on to iridescent silk chiffon, they are soft on the skin, lightweight but warm, easily draped around the shoulders on a cool, summer evening or tucked under the chin and into a winter coat.

Wool, and other exotic animal (protein) fibres, becomes felt through a process which uses heat, moisture and agitation to blend and tangle the fibres together into a dense, nonwoven material. Once the pattern of fibres is laid out, I wet the wool with warm water and mild soap. Then, through gentle rubbing and more vigorous rolling, the fibres move closer and closer together until they are so tightly bound they have become a piece of material called felt.

When I use silk chiffon material in my wearable art wraps, it is sandwiched between fine layers of wool and through the felting process, the fibres migrate through the silk and bond to it. The silk does not felt, so as the wool begins to felt, it gathers up the silk material, pleating it and creating a beautiful, crinkly texture in the silk. Along with wool, I work with exotic fibres such as mohair, angora, alpaca, bison, baby camel down and qiviut (musk ox).

Commissions are available.
Contact Monica at
monibennett@shaw.ca